Theatrics in the Courtyard

Unfortunately, that peace didn't last for long because he heard a small clatter on his table. When he opened his eyes and widened his eyes when he saw ten solid gold coins in front of him. He stared back at Naruto. The blonde's smile infuriated him, but his eyes...seemed even more uneasy than any other client he had ever worked with.

"That's yours, Bando. All you have to do is do something for me," Naruto said.

Bando looked at the coins for a moment. His eyes then looked around the room. No one had noticed anything just yet. If anyone saw such a haul then not even the guards would be able to stop a brawl from starting out. Yet, the blonde wasn't even concerned with that. He just kept looking at the man like he was but a leaf on a tree in a forest. With so much gold, one could eat in luxury even in prison. He wouldn't have to question what he was eating each time he looked at his bowl.

Bando closed his eyes and exhaled. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Call me Uzumaki Naruto. This is Uzumaki Hana, my future wife. And, what would you think if I told you I was the newest owner of The Red Dragon?" Naruto asked.

Bando had to stop himself from busting out laughing which would alert everyone around him to their conversation. Of course he had recently heard the news that ever since last year the Red Dragon group had been under new employment. That news had thrown the world's ruling underworld into chaos before the new power had quickly established itself in an even grander position than even Takamura had done. It was for that reason...that there were talks of another overthrow.

"Then I'll have a fun bedtime story for myself to take away my boredom. Is that why you're bothering me? You're here to give me fantasy tales?" he asked, a chuckle on his lips. However, that chuckle didn't last for very long because Bando felt something painful stabbing into his left leg.

The bulky man looked underneath his table and he widened his eyes when he saw a thin needle of blood pierced into his knee. That long trail of blood rested at Naruto's fingertips which the redhead laid beneath the table as well.

"Eyes forward, Bando-san,"

The man looked up at the grin on Naruto's face. The pain accelerated through his leg. Each muscle was being pumped, stretched, and pierced like a half-filled bomb. Sweat began to pour from his face. His vision grew blurry. Feeling was beginning to leave his hands. He tried to speak, but no sound came out of his throat. Instead, he felt a sharp pain in the region of his neck. If anyone were to walk too close to their table, then the person would have seen dark purple veins crawling, climbing, infecting their way up the tall man's body.

"Good. Now that we've got the funny out of system, I think it's about time we return to that thing I wanted you to do for me. You see, Bando-san, I've taken up a hobby of...box collecting. I'm not here about some stupid security maintenance dattebayo. I'm here to collect this box. However, I can't seem to find it. But, I've thought of a way to get to it. And, for those gold coins, I'd like your help. Sure, you'll have to deal with some...unpleasantness, but if you do this for me then I might think of taking you on in a future project. You stand to make more than you ever did. You either take that deal, or I find a more permanent method to your servitude. Spoiler, it might be your body, but you won't be in it. Nod if you understand," Naruto said.

Slowly, Bando nodded his head. This made Naruto's smile widen.

"Good. Now nod if you accept my proposal. Shake your head if you don't. No worries, I'll let you think it over," the redhead claimed.

Bando tried to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, but how was he supposed to rationalize this threat with so much pain burning and striking within him. He could feel something strange wrapping around every sliver of his body just waiting for him to voice his defiance. In fact dare he say it was hoping that he would.

Time passed so slowly that Naruto was beginning to get annoyed. He looked over to Hana for the time and she quickly told him that ten minutes had passed. Once he knew that, the frown on his face grew deeper. Tch, fuckin' prison dog.

"You seem to be having some trouble in making a decision. I understand. I wouldn't want to follow a brat like me either dattebayo, but I have better things to do. So, I'll offer one more incentive. I plan on heading in the direction of Kirigakure in about two to three months. I heard a civil war has been raging over there that I'd like to be a part of. I'll grant you twenty percent of the spoils from that war in exchange for an extra ten seconds to think. I'd suggest you make your decision now,"

As soon as those words left Naruto's lips, the blood from his finger continued to dig itself into the body of Bando. So intense was the pain that he thought he would pass on into the afterlife. How many seconds had he already used up? He couldn't count. He couldn't think. Twenty percent? A civil war? Was he...going to die?

By the tenth second, Bando nodded his head up and down. Seeing this, Naruto chuckled. "I look forward to your results from working for me, Bando-san. I'll make sure you know you chose the right investment," Naruto said. He swiftly began drawing the blood from Bando's body until the man felt no more discomfort. Once it was all gone, he fell to the table and panted heavily.

"Finish your lunch quickly. You've wasted enough of my time. We have a play to reenact," the redhead said. He and Hana then proceeded to walk into the courtyard area.

"Tch, fuckin' bastard. I'll take a minute longer just to piss you off," Banda mumbled to himself before he started eating. Unfortunately, he couldn't concentrate on his ire for long from the feeling of actual gold in his hands. It was enough to make a grown man cry.

"Where did you get that gold?" Hana asked.

"Hell if I know. I don't remember every noble carriage I kill and steal from," the blood wielder answered. The wolf hybrid laughed.

Soon, Bando joined them in the courtyard. "Alright, you got me out here. What's this play of yours?" the tall man asked.

"Punch me in the face,"

…

"Punch you...in the face?" he asked.

Naruto nodded. "Yup. Well, let me elaborate. Punch me, and her, in the face. Don't worry, I won't kill you for it. I'll make sure she doesn't kill you either," the Uzumaki stated.

Bando folded his arms together. "Gee, thanks for the mercy. Fine, I won't hold back you know," he said.

....

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